SELF vs EXR vs CUBE vs NSA vs SSB

For growth investors, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the stronger pick with 57.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). SouthState Corporation (SSB) offers the better valuation at 12. 4x trailing P/E (10. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SouthState Corporation (SSB) a "Buy" — based on 20 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the cheapest at 12.

4x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust at 61. 9x. On forward P/E, SouthState Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: SouthState Corporation wins at 0. 35x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 14. 39x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Global Self Storage, Inc.

(SELF) delivered a total return of +37. 6%, compared to +18. 0% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NSA returned +182. 1% versus SSB's +67. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Global Self Storage, Inc.

(SELF) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 20β versus SouthState Corporation's 1. 02β — meaning SSB is approximately 418% more volatile than SELF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SouthState Corporation (SSB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 2% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SouthState Corporation (SSB) is pulling ahead at 57.

0% versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Extra Space Storage Inc. grew EPS 13. 9% year-over-year, compared to -40. 7% for National Storage Affiliates Trust. Over a 3-year CAGR, EXR leads at 19. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

CubeSmart (CUBE) is the more profitable company, earning 29.

7% net margin versus 9. 8% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — meaning it keeps 29. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXR leads at 44. 1% versus 20. 5% for SELF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SSB leads at 68. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, SouthState Corporation (SSB) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 35x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 14. 39x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, SouthState Corporation (SSB) trades at 10. 3x forward P/E versus 82. 3x for National Storage Affiliates Trust — 72. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SSB: 21. 3% to $118. 20.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) offers the highest yield at 5. 4%, versus 2. 4% for SouthState Corporation (SSB).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Global Self Storage, Inc.

(SELF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 20), 5. 4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SELF: +69. 9%, SSB: +67. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (SELF (Real Estate) and EXR (Real Estate) and CUBE (Real Estate) and NSA (Real Estate) and SSB (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SELF is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EXR is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CUBE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; NSA is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SSB is a small-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.